Streaming gaining ground on traditional TV

Saturday, February 2, 2019
Streaming gaining ground on traditional TV
A new study shows 67-percent of us are pay TV subscribers, that is down from 77-percent in 2016. The world of video is moving away from cable and satellite and moving towards streaming online video.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A new study shows 67-percent of us are pay TV subscribers, that is down from 77 percent in 2016. The world of video is moving away from cable and satellite and moving towards streaming online video.

We spoke with Kirk Skinner as he was walking out of a San Jose Best Buy with a brand new TV. We asked him if he streamed video.

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Skinner said, "Yes, actually this (TV) will not be hooked up to cable at all it will be strictly streaming only."

Skinner told us he mostly streams using Netflix. That is becoming more common. The frustrating part of streaming is finding channels and shows and that is where StreamingObserver.com comes in.

The Editor in Chief is Chris Brantner. He tells me his online publication is keeping track of the very latest in cord-cutting.

"So be it Netflix. Be it Disney coming out with a new service, we talk about all that," He says, "We also have a lot of people coming to us looking for programming, like how to watch The Super Bowl without cable for example."

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Brantner's website, Streaming Observer, offers several articles to hook viewers up with the Super Bowl this weekend.

However, it is more than just the big game, for instance, there are also reviews of streaming services like Philo, which offers many popular cable channels, minus most sports and news, and starts at just $16 a month.

Aaron Stamos is a video specialist for Magnolia TV in Best Buy. He says that is one service among man.

"Too many to count," he tells us, "Yes sir."

To make his point he showed us several including a service that streams the National Croatian Network. It is billed as for "Croatians living in foreign countries".

"You can look for apps that are for different cultures," Aaron says, along with just about any interest.

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And that takes us back to Skinner, "I am about ready to cut cable," he says he doen't need cable any more.

A big benefit of streaming is how easy most channels are to cancel. There are few long term contracts. A drawback, though, many services don't offer local channels, so you'll need to get an antenna.